Different players are stepping up every match: Neesham on Rajshahi’s biggest strength

Different players are stepping up every match: Neesham on Rajshahi’s biggest strength

Speaking about his teammates, Neesham highlighted the importance of shared responsibility rather than reliance on one or two star names. According to him, this balance is what has given Rajshahi consistency throughout the tournament.

Confidence is clearly growing inside the Rajshahi Warriors dressing room, and Jimmy Neesham believes the reason lies in one key factor: collective performance. The New Zealand all-rounder has been impressed by how different players continue to deliver in different matches.

Speaking about his teammates, Neesham highlighted the importance of shared responsibility rather than reliance on one or two star names. According to him, this balance is what has given Rajshahi consistency throughout the tournament. “Ripon has been great. Saqlain has been great as well. We've had multiple guys turning up and contributing. Muhammad Waseem, obviously, was playing extremely well before he had to leave for national duty,” Neesham said.

“The most pleasing part about our performances since I got here is that it's been different guys contributing in most games. Obviously, we've got a really good young seam attack that have been performing extremely well.”

What stands out to him most, however, is not just their skill but their mindset. Neesham described the young bowlers as highly motivated, passionate, and eager to improve qualities he feels are crucial at this level. “They’re not just talented; they’re extremely committed to the game,” he explained. “Bowling confidently against big batting lineups is where their belief really shows.”

Sharing his experience of working closely with the youngsters, Neesham admitted that interacting with them has been one of the most enjoyable aspects of his time with Rajshahi. “It's been a really enjoyable part of my stay here is talking to those young guys. They're obviously extremely passionate about the game and want to succeed, and seeing them have success against some really high-quality batting lineups has been really impressive,” he adde.

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Italy Announce Squad for Maiden T20 World Cup 2026 Campaign

Italy Announce Squad for Maiden T20 World Cup 2026 Campaign

Italy has officially revealed its 15-man squad for the T20 World Cup 2026, set to take place in India and Sri Lanka. This marks a historic moment as it’s Italy's first-ever participation in this prestigious global cricket tournament

Wayne Madsen has been appointed as the captain of the Italian team for this exciting event. Joining him are some notable players, including former South African international JJ Smuts, along with brothers Harry and Benjamin Manenti, and Anthony and Justin Mosca.

Previously, the team was led by former Australian international Joe Burns during the qualifying campaign. However, he was removed from the captaincy and dropped from the squad at the end of last year. Italy secured their spot in the tournament by finishing second behind the Netherlands in the European regional qualifiers last July.

The coaching team is headed by John Davison with Kevin O'Brien and Douglas Brown lending their expertise as assistants. Peter Di Venuto takes on the role of manager.

In the 2026 T20 World Cup, Italy finds itself in Group C alongside Bangladesh, England, Nepal, and the West Indies. Their journey kicks off with a match against Bangladesh in Kolkata on February 9, followed by a game against Nepal in Mumbai on February 12. They’ll then return to Kolkata to face England on February 16 and the West Indies on February 19.

The tournament itself runs from February 7 to March 8, featuring 20 teams split into four groups of five in the initial round. The top two teams from each group will advance to the Super Eight stage, where they’ll be divided into two groups of four, with the best two from each group moving on to the semi-finals.

Italy's Squad:

Wayne Madsen (c), Marcus Campopiano, Gian Piero Meade, Zain Ali, Ali Hasan, Crishan Jorge, Harry Manenti, Anthony Mosca, Justin Mosca, Syed Naqvi, Benjamin Manenti, Jaspreet Singh, JJ Smuts, Grant Stewart, Thomas Draca.

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Cricket Ireland rules out venue change amid BCB group-swap reports

Cricket Ireland rules out venue change amid BCB group-swap reports

Representative Image: Ireland ©Getty

Cricket Ireland (CI) has categorically stated that the International Cricket Council will not move their T20 World Cup games out of Sri Lanka. The CI assertion comes in the wake of reports from Bangladesh that the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has asked the ICC to swap their groups with Ireland's.

"We've received definitive assurances that we won't move from the original schedule. We're definitely playing the Group Stage in Sri Lanka," an official from CI told Cricbuzz in a statement.

Ireland are placed in Group C of the T20 World Cup alongside co-hosts Sri Lanka, Australia, Zimbabwe and Oman. Bangladesh, who are refusing to travel to India, are placed in Group B alongside West Indies, England, Nepal and Italy with their group games scheduled in Kolkata and Mumbai.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) floated the idea of a group swap with Ireland, who play all their games in Sri Lanka, in their meeting with the ICC on Saturday in Dhaka. "Among other points, the possibility of moving Bangladesh to a different group as a means of facilitating the matter with minimum logistical adjustments was discussed," the BCB said.

However, BCB's suggestion does not seem to have cut any ice with the ICC as well as Ireland.

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